Gird yourselves, art-loving George Michael fans: some of the iconic pop superstar’s personal art collection will be paying a visit to Hong Kong later this month on a world tour ahead of its eventual auction by Christie’s in London in March.
According to a recent careless whisper by the storied auction house, certain works from the collection will be available to preview in Hong Kong Feb. 19 — Feb. 22, between the hours of 10:30am and 5:30pm at Christie’s offices.
And for those of you with reservations about George Michael’s taste in art, have a little faith.
In a piece accompanying news of the world tour, Christie’s details Michael’s association with the Young British Artists movement — which includes art world heavyweights like Damien Hirst, Michael Craig-Martin, and Sarah Lucas, all of whom are represented among the more than 200 lots up for auction.
The movement, which took off around the late 1980s, set itself apart with its willingness to challenge norms and its openness to experimentation with novel materials and approaches to self-promotion.
As Christie’s notes: “George Michael developed friendships with many of these YBA artists through visits to galleries and their studios, and the collection reflects his dedication to cutting-edge creativity as well as his instinctive and long-held willingness to support young, emerging artistic talent.”
Works at the highest tier of the sale — including one Hirst piece that includes a formaldehyde-preserved dove suspended above a human skull — are expected to fetch as much as 1.5 million pounds (about HK$15.2 million) each by the time the gavel goes ‘wham!’
Christie’s notes that proceeds from the auction are slated to further Michael’s many philanthropic causes, for which he was well known prior to his death in 2016.
Gee, what was that other thing he was well known for?
Reader Interactions